It has not been possible heretofore to produce chocolate coatings having a laced appearance formed from two layers of chocolate, principally because there is only a very short time period within which the second layer must be applied to the first layer in order to achieve satisfactory adherence. The chocolate layers are usually applied in liquid, semi-liquid, or paste form either by spraying, pouring, dipping, or pressing in a cold environment. Generally, this procedure results in the first layer glazing over to form a frost of condensation shortly after application thereof (less than 30 seconds), which prevents the second liquid layer from adhering properly.
Several references disclose different types of chocolate or other edible coatings having the adherence problems discussed above. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,777,896 discloses an edible container shaped like a log made by spreading a plastic edible coating on the outside of a cylinder, adding bonbons to simulate branch stubs, and covering with a second layer of chocolate in a semi-liquid or plastic state.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,865,097 discloses hollow candy bodies made of chocolate having areas of the body formed with a color contrasting with the color of a major portion of the body. The hollow candy body may be prepared by chilling a dark chocolate in a portion of a mold, closing the mold and filling the mold with a light color chocolate, and chilling the mold again to form the light chocolate body overlaid by dark chocolate patches.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,288,970 discloses a confectionery such as ice cream having a coating of chocolate or other edible composition. In particular, the coating is provided with line formations or perforations that are pressed into the coating to control and limit the separation of coating from the confectionery product.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,457,110 discloses a method of coating chocolate edibles by dip-coating the chocolate edible in a coating of sufficiently low viscosity without the addition of cocoa butter. The chocolate is disclosed to be non-flowing at high temperatures due to the lack of cocoa butter in the composition during the dipping.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,853 discloses a frozen confection having a plurality of ingredients of individual colors, as well as a gravity feed arrangement for feeding a plurality of nozzles with the individually-colored ingredients so as to facilitate greater distribution of the ingredients.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,502 discloses marshmallow and other variegates having the ability to maintain a clear and distinct line of demarcation or delineation with a frozen dessert matrix into which the variegate is incorporated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,200 discloses a method for producing three-dimensional decorations of a fatty confectionery material on a base confectionery, such as with a nozzle attached to a compressible bag for depositing the decorations. The deposition preferably occurs from a rotary sprayer, which deposits the decoration by use of a plurality of recesses in a mold.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,128 discloses a method of making an iced piece of cake and providing good adhesion between the icing coating and the cake by adding a bonding layer to a cake, applying the icing, completely enrobing it with a chocolate layer, cooling and solidifying the chocolate layer, and subsequently decorating the top and sides by pressing thereon xe2x80x9csquigglesxe2x80x9d having a different color.
We have now devised an apparatus and methods for obtaining chocolate coatings having a laced appearance, as well as confectionery or ice cream products having a coating formed thereon from two layers of chocolate, whereby the second layer adheres satisfactorily to the first layer.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for applying stripes of liquid coating material on a confectionery which comprises at least one spinning applicator for applying a stripe of coating material onto the confectionery as the confectionery moves past the spinning applicator in a production line, at least one shield positioned adjacent to the spinning applicator to assist in directing the stripe of coating material onto the confectionery, and at least one manifold to provide at least one spinning applicator with the coating material in a liquid form.
The shield may have an arcuate shape and partially surrounds the spinning applicator and one shield may be larger than the other. The apparatus may have at least two shields which are positioned about each spinning applicator to form an aperture which directs the coating material onto the confectionery. The coating is applied to the confectionery at an angle of between about 0xc2x0 to about 45xc2x0 relative to a line perpendicularly drawn to the direction of travel of the confectionery in the production line, preferably, the coating is applied to the confectionery at an angle of between about 15xc2x0 to about 35xc2x0.
The shield has at least one edge with a channel having either a U or V shape for collecting excess coating material. The channel has at least two inner edges diverging at an angle of between about 30xc2x0 to about 60xc2x0. The shields can be made of stainless steel, plastic, or aluminum.
The spinning applicator can be a disk, a cup, a pipe, a nozzle, or a combination thereof. The spinning applicator can spin at a rate of between about 50 rpm to about 2500 rpm, and be a disk which is elliptical in shape. The disk may be inclined from the horizontal from between about 5xc2x0 to about 35xc2x0.
In one embodiment of the apparatus two spinning applicators are mounted on opposite sides of the production line facing front and rear faces of the confectionery. Optionally, the confectioneries are moved in multiple directions to apply a laced coating. The apparatus may further comprise a jacketed tank for collecting coating material that is not applied upon the confectionery. The jacketed tank can be heated to a temperature of between about 35xc2x0 C. to about 45xc2x0 C.
In one embodiment, the apparatus may have between about 2 to about 24 applicators are utilized in a two row array of between 2 and 12 spaced and offset applicators, with each applicator having shields to prevent liquid coating material from one applicator to contaminate an adjacent applicator, and so that a plurality of confectioneries can be coated simultaneously. The shields are configured, positioned, or dimensioned to prevent coating material from one applicator to spray onto a second applicator.
The present invention is also directed to a method for preparing a confectionery having a coating with stripes comprising supplying liquid coating material to a rotatable applicator, rotating the applicator to generate stripes of liquid coating material, and shielding the applicator as the confectionery moves along a production line to assist in directing the stripes of coating material onto the confectionery. The method may also include applying a layer of at least one chocolate onto the confectionary before or after the application of stripes by dipping or enrobing the confectionary with chocolate or by spraying chocolate onto the confectionary and wherein the chocolate is one of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or combinations thereof, and optionally where the chocolate is partially substituted with a lesser fat component. The confectionary can be at least one frozen dessert, ice cream, baked product, praline, cake, fondant, water ice, sherbet, wafer cone, ice cream sandwich component, or cookie, and stripes are applied to the confectionery at an angle of between about 0xc2x0 to about 45xc2x0 relative to a line perpendicularly drawn to the direction of travel of the confectionery. The stripes are applied at essentially the same size and with a uniform spacing between them and are applied upon the confection when the confection is in a vertical position, some of the stripes are of a color or coating material that is different from the others.
The stripes are applied in the form of a crisscrossed pattern. The crisscrossed pattern comprises at least two different chocolates were at least one chocolate is milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or combinations thereof, optionally where the chocolate is partially substituted with a lesser fat component.
The method may also include collecting and re-using liquid coating material that is dispensed but not applied upon the confectionary.